Apparatus for producing refined cocoa liquor from cocoa nibs and the like



y 3, 1930. w. E. PRESCOTT APPARATUS FUR PRODUCING REFINED COCOA LIQUOR FROM COCOA NIBS AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 22, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet May 13, 1930.

w. E. PRESCOTT 1,758,304 APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING REFINED COCOA LIQUOR FROM COCOA NIBS AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 22, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 13, 1939. w. E. PRESCOTT 1,758,804

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING REFINED COCOA LIQUOR FROM COCOA NIBS AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 22, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 y 1930- w. E. PRESCOTT 1,758,304

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING REFINED COCOA LIQUOR FROM COCOA NIBS AND THE LIKE Filed D80. 22, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 atented ay 13, 193% PA rs orrrca WILLIAM EDW PRESCOT'F, F HARROW, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO BAKER PERKINS COMPANY, INCOBIORATED, 0F SAG-INAW, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION-OF 'NEW YORK APPTUS FOR PRODUCING REFINE!) COCOA LIQUOR FROM COCOA. NIBS AND THE LIKE Application filed. December 22, 1927, Serial No. 241,943, and in Great Britain December 22, 1926.

The present invention relates to apparatus for producing refined cocoa liquor from cocoa nibsj Hitherto in such apparatus for producing refined cocoa liquor the unrefined product tinually resiliently pressed under springpressure against the central disc whereby both pairs ofvco-operating grinding discs are pressed together under yielding sprungpressure. lhe co-operating surfaces of the fined cocoa liquor from said rough grinding discs are suitably contoured to reduce the material operated upon in its passage from centre to periphery of the discs.

According to the present invention apparatus for producing refined cocoa liquor from cocoa nibs consists of the arrangement of reducing apparatus for rough grinding cocoa nibs and producing rough ground liquor above refiningapparatus for producing reground liquor, the arrangement being such that the reducing apparatus disc arges the coarse liquor by gravity directly into the refining apparatus.

Preferably the reducer and refiner are of the type specified above, and preferably the apparatus is so designed that the rough I ground liquor from one side of the. reducing apparatus is discharged into the refining apparatus at one side of the latter and the rough ground liquor from the other side of the reducer separately into the other side of the refiner. In this way by ensuring an equality of feed-at the two sides of the reducer, an

equality of feed at the two sides of the refiner is simultaneously assured by the feed- 1ng mechanism of the reducer, no separate means for equalizing the feed at the two sides of the refiner being required.

With a view to keeping the two streams of material undergoing the reducing operation separate in the reducer the middle of the peripheral edge of the central supporting disc is provided with a flange or ring running in close proximity to a fixed shield or the equivalent surrounding the disc whereby two separate peripheral or annular compartments are formed into which the two streams of rough ground liquor issue from between the pairs of grinding discs. Preferably two stationary adjustable scrapers are arranged under the central disc in scraping contact'therewith, a divided chute or two chutes also being provided below said scrapers for separately conducting and delivering the liquor from the two sides of the disc to the two sides of the refining apparatus.

The present invention also relates to means for feeding the reducing apparatus, said means being of the kind adapted to feed the material to be reduced in equal quantities or streams to different parts of the reducing apparatus.

Said feeding means comprise a hopper locat-ed above the central disc of the reducer and two adjacent toothed rollers revolving outwardly in opposite directions and arranged between the bottom outlet of the hopper and said disc, and two adjustable shutters at the sides of the hopper outlet for enabling the quantity of beans carried away under said shutters to be regulated and means for guiding the beans fed forward by each of the rollers to the sides of said central disc.

One example of a machine or apparatus according to the present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which gig. 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus, an

Fig. 2 a part sectional front elevation of the same.

F ig, 3 is a part sectional front elevation to an enlarged scale of the reducer and means for feeding the same, while Fig. 4 is apart sectional side elevation of said reducer and feeding means on the same scale as Fig. 3.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2,1 is the reducer and 2 the refiner above which the reducer is mounted. 3 is the machine base, shown hroken away for convenience, and 4, 5 bearmg pedestals and 6 a casting mounted thereon for the support of the main driving shaft 7 which is driven by the belt pulley 8 and which by means of the pinions 9, 1O drives the reducer shaft 11 and the refiner shaft 12 through the toothed wheels 110 and 120 respectively. The former shaft is supported on the pedestal 5 and on the casting 13 which is bolted to the casting 6, while the refiner. shaft 12 is supported in the bearings 14, 15 mounted on the base 3. On the reducer shaft 11 is mounted the central supporting disc of the reducer which is faced at its sides with reducing discs 17, '18 which rotate in contact with non-rotating reducing discs 19, 20 respectively. The former is mounted on a fixed supporting plate or cheek 21 forming part of the casting 13 while the latter disc 20 is mounted on a supporting plate or cheek '24 which is supported on three bolts 22 and is resiliently pressed inwards under the action of springs 23, engaging between the heads of the bolts and itself. Similarly on the refiner shaft 12 there is mounted the central supporting disc 26 of the refiner which is faced at its sides with refining discs 27, 28 which rotate in contactwith non-rotating refining discs 29, 36 respectively. The disc 30 is mounted on a fined supporting plate or check 31 storming part of the casting 6 while the disc 29 is mounted on a supporting piste or check 32 which is supported on eight bolts 33 and is resiliently pressed inwards under the action. of springs 34 engaging between the heads of the bolts and itself. The middle oi the peripheral edge of the central supporting disc .25 of the reducer is provided with a flange 35 running in close proximity to a fined shield 36 surroundin the disc except at its lowermost portion wiere the twoway outlet casting or divided chute 3'? is arranged. The edges of the fixed shield 36 fit over the laterally projectin edges of the supporting plates 21, 24. The chute 37 is fixed to the supporting plate 21, and is provided with a central dividing wall. 38 with which the flange 35 makes running contact. Within said chute and in scraping contact with the peripheral edges of the reduced discs, two stationary adjustable scrapers 39 are arranged. Each of the supporting plates means of a passage 44, 45, 46

21, 24, 31, 32 is hollow for the purpose of being water-cooled and each is provided with a hopper 40, 41, 42, 43 respectively the interior of each of which communicates by 47 respec-- tively with one of the spaces between the pairs of discs 17, 19: 18, 20: 28, 30: and 27, 29 respectively.

Equal quantities or streams of material to be reduced are fed into the hoppers 40, 41 of the reducer by a feeding device. Said device comprises a sheet metal hopper 49 mounted on a casting 48 bolted to the hop pers 40, 41. Under the outlet of the hopper 49 two adjacent toothed .rollers 50, 51 are also mounted on said casting and said rollers are driven so as to revolve outwardly in opposite directions. The means for driving said rollers comprise the bevel wheel 52 on the reducer shaft 11, the bevel wheel 53 engaging therewith, the shaft 54 on which said wheel 53 is mounted, the chain wheel 55 on said shaft, the chain 56, chain wheel 57, shaft 58 carrying said wheel 57, the pinion 59 on said shaft, the toothed wheel 60 (see Fig. 4)

on the shaft 61 carrying-the toothed roller 50 and the wheel 62 (see Fig. 1) engaging with said wheel 60' and mounted on the shaft 63 carrying the toothed roller 51.

At the sides of the hopper outlet and immediately above the toothed rollers there are mounted two adjustable shutters 64, 65 provided with toothed racks 66, 67 respectively with which engage toothed pinions 68, 69 on spindles 76, 71 provided with handwhecls 7 2, 7 3 and toothed discs 7 4, 7 5 with which spring detents 7 6, 77 engage. By adjusting the height of the shutters the quantity of material carried away under the same can be regulated. The material thus carried away falls into the hoppers 46, 41. Reciprocating prodding rods 78, 79 (see Fig. 3) are provided for prodding the material in its passage from the hoppers to the reducer. These rods are slidingly supported in collars 80, 81 fixed inside the hoppers and the outer ends of said rods are provided with pins 82 engaging in slots in arms 83, 84 mounted on shafts 85, 86 supported on the hoppers. Said shafts are interconnected by arms 87, 88 and a connecting rod 89. An arm 870 on the shaft 85 is oscillated by means of the rod 90 connected with the crank-pin 91 on the crank disc 92 on the shaft 54.

No separate means for equalizing the'feed at the two sides of the refiner is required since the two streams of unground material fed into the hoppers 40, 41 reappear separately as two streamsof rough ground liquorfiowing from the two-way chute 37, from which one stream flows immediately under gravity directly into the hopper 42 and the other stream into the hopper 43 of the refiner. After leaving the refining discs of the refiner the refined iiquor flows in a single stream from the chute 93 and thus passes out of the machine.

I claim 1. Apparatus for producing refined cocoa liquor from cocoa nibs, said apparatus being of the type including reducing apparatus for rough grinding the nibs, refining apparatusv for producing refined cocoa liquor from the rough ground liquor produced in said reducing apparatus, characterized by the fact that said reducing apparatus and said refining apparatus each comprises a disk rotatable between and cooperating with two stationary disks to provide two independent grinding spaces; that a preliminary proportioning means is provided for delivering unground material at a predetermined rate of flow to each of the said .two independent grinding spaces of said reducing apparatus, and that means are provided for delivering the roughv ground liquor discharged from one grinding space of said reducing apparatus to one grinding space of said refining apparatus and for separately delivering the rough ground liquor from the other grinding space of the reducing apparatus to the second grinding space of the said refining apparatus, whereby no further proportioning of the material undergoing refining treatment is necessary.

2. Apparatus for producing refined cocoa liquor from cocoa nibs comprising the combination of a machine frame, a revoluble central supporting disc mounted thereon, two

reducing discs fixed on the two sides of said supporting disc, means for rotating said supporting disc, stationary lateral reducing discs in contact with'and at the sides of said rotating reducing discs, preliminary proportioning means for feeding cocoa nibs to the two lateral spaces between the two rotating re ducing discs and the two stationary reducing discs, a second revoluble central supporting disc mounted on the machine frame under the former supporting discs, two refining discs fixed on the two sides of said second supporting disc, means for rotating the latter, stationary lateral refining discs at, the sides of said rotating refining discs and means for discharging the rough ground'liquor from one of said lateral spaces to one of the two lateral spaces between the two rotating refining discs and the two stationary refining discs and means for discharging the rough ground liquor from the other of said first mentioned lateral spaces to the other of the two lateral spaces between the two rotating refining discs and the two stationary refining discs, whereby no further proportioning of the material undergoing refining treatment is necessary.

3. Apparatus for roduc-ing refined cocoa liquor from cocoa ni 5 comprising the combination of a machine frame, a revoluble central supporting disc mounted thereon, and provided with a flange around its peripheral edge, a fixed annular shield surrounding and contacting with said flange, two reducing discs fixed on the two sides of said supporting disc, means for rotating said supporting disc, stationary lateral reducing discs in contact with and at the sides of saidrota-ting reducing discs, means for feeding cocoa nibs to. the two lateral spaces between the two rotating reducing discs and the two stationary re ducing discs, a second revoluble supporting disc mounted onthe machine frame under the former supporting disc, two refining discs fixed on the two sides of said second supporting disc, means for rotating the latter, stationary lateral refining discs at the sides of said rotating refining discs and means for discharging. the rough ground liquor from one i of said lateral spaces to oneof the two lateral spaces between the two rotating refining discs and the two stationary refining discs and means for discharging the ,rough ground liquor from the other of said first mentioned lateral spaces to the other of the two lateral spaces between the two rotating refining discs and the two stationary refining discs.

4. Apparatus for producing refined cocoa liquor from cocoa nibs comprising the combination of a machine frame, a revoluble central supporting disc mounted thereon and provided with a flange around its peripheral edge, a fixed annular shield surrounding and contacting with said flange, two reducing discs fixed on the two sides of said supporting disc, means for rotating said supporting disc, stationary lateral reducing discs in contact with and at the sides of said rotating reduc ing discs, two scrapers arranged at o posite sides ofsaid flange in contact with an under 7 rotating reducing discs and the two stationary reducing discs, a second revoluble cene tral supporting disc mounted on the machine frame under the former supportin disc, two refining discs fixed on the two si es of said second supporting disc, ineans for rotating the latter, stationary lateral refining discs at the sides of said rotating refining discs and means for dischargin the rough ground liquor from one of said lateral spaces to one of the two lateral spaces between the two rotatin refining discs and the two stationary refining discs and means for discharging the rough ground liquor from the other of said first mentioned lateral spaces to the other of the two lateral spaces between the two rotating refining discs and the two stationary refining discs.

5. Apparatus for producing refined cocoa liquor from cocoa nibs comprising the combination of a machine frame, a revoluble centrol supporting disc mounted thereon and provided with a flange around its peripheral edge, a fixed annular shield surrounding and contacting with said flange, two reducing discs fixed on the two sides of said supporting disc, means for rotating said supporting disc, stationary lateral reducing discs in contact with and at the sides of said rotating reducing discs, two scrapers arranged at .opposite sides of said flange in contact with and under said reducing discs, means for feeding cocoa nibs to the two lateral spaces between the two rotating reducing discs and the two stationary reducing discs, a second revoluble central supporting disc mounted on the machine frame under the former supporting disc, two refining discs fixed on the two sides of said second supporting disc, means for rotating the latter, stationary lateral refining discs at the sides of said rotating refining discs and two chutes arranged under said scrapers for discharging the rough ground liquor from one of said lateral spaces to one of the two lateral spaces between the two rotating refining discs and the two stationary refining discs and for discharging the rough ground liquor from the other of said first mentioned lateral spaces to the other of the two lateral spaces between the two rotating refining discs and the two stationary refining discs.

(3. Apparatus for producing refined cocoa liquor from cocoa nibs comprising the combination of a machine frame, a revoluble central supporting disc mounted thereon, two reducing discs fixed on the two sides of said supporting disc, means for rotating said supporting disc, stationary lateral reducing discs in contact with and at the sides of said rotating reducing discs, means for feeding an equal quantity of cocoa nibs simultaneously to the two lateral spaces between the two rotating reducing discs and the two stationary reducing discs, at second revoluble central supporting disc mounted on the machine frame under the former supporting disc, two refining discs fixed on the two sides of said second supporting disc, means for rotating the latter. stationary lateral refining discs at the sides of said rotating refining discs and means for discharging the rough ground liquor from one of said lateral spaces to one of the two lateral spaces between the two rotating refining discs and the two stationary refining discs and means for discharging the rough ground liquor from the other of said first mentioned lateral spaces to the other of the two lateral spaces between the two rotating refining discs and the two stationary refining discs.

7. Apparatus for producing refined cocoa liquor from cocoa nibs comprising the combination of a machine frame, a revoluble central supporting disc mounted thereon, two reducing discs fixed on the two sides of said supporting disc, means for rotating said supporting disc, stationary lateral reducing discs in contact with and at the sides of said rotating reducing discs, means for feeding an equal quantity of cocoa nibs simultaneously to rollers to said two separate lateral spaces, a.

second revoluble central supporting disc mounted on the machine frame under the former supporting disc, two refining discs fixed on the two sides of said second supporting disc, means for rotating the latter, stationary lateral refining discs at the sides of said rotating refining discs and means for discharging the rough ground liquor from one of said lateral spaces to one of the two lateral spaces between the two rotating refining discs and the two stationary refining discs and means for discharging the rough ground liquor from the other of said first mentioned lateral spaces to the other of the two lateral spaces between the two rotating refining discs and the two stationary refining discs.

8. Apparaus for producing refined cocoa liquor from cocoa nibs comprising the combination of a machine frame, a revoluble central supporting disc mounted thereon, two reducing discs fixed on the two sides of said supporting disc, means for rotating said supporting disc, stationary lateral reducing discs in contact with and at the sides of said rotating reducing discs, means for feeding an equal quantity of cocoa nibs simultaneously to the two lateral spaces between the two rotating reducing discs and the two stationary reducing discs, said means comprising a hopper provided with a regulatable bottom outlet and located above the central supporting disc, two adjacent outwardly revoluble toothed rollers arranged between the bottom outlet of the hopper and said disc and means for separately guiding the nibs fed forward by each of said rollers to said two separate lateral spaces, a second rcvoluble central supporting disc mounted on the machine frame under the former supporting disc, two refining discs fixed on the two sides of said second supporting disc. means for rotating the latter, stationary lateral refining discs at the sides of said rotating refining discs and means for discharging the rough ground liquor from one of said lateral spaces to one. of the two lateral spaces between the two rotating refining discs andthetwostationaryrefiningdiscs andmeans for discharging the rough ground liquor from the other of said first mentioned lateral spaces to the other of the two lateral spaces between the two rotating refining discs and the two stationary refining discs.

9. Apparaus for producing refined cocoa liquor from cocoa nibs comprising the COllllH- nation of a machine frame, a revoluble ccn discs'and a part having two chutes arranged undersaid scrapers and having a dividing wall contacting with the flange on the central supporting disc for discharging the rough ground liquor from one of said lateral spaces to one of the two lateral spaces between the two rotating refining discs and the two stationary refining discs and for dischargin the rough ground liquor from the other 01. said first mentioned lateral spaces to the other of the two lateral spaces between the two rotating refining discs and the two stationary refining discs.

\ EDWARD PRESCOTT 

